Batting



Aug. 31, 1937.

mz'rme Filed Aug. 1'5, 19:56

"Si: l INVENTOR Y/leoatafey LS. JdwJo/y g /ATToRNEY Patented Aug. 31,1937

UNITE-D STATES rAjrENr OFFICE BATTING Theodore S. Jacobson, LBrocklyn,-N. Y.v Application August 15, wsa-serial 1510.9@165 1 Claim.

This invention relates to batting, and more particularly for such purposes as making pads for overlying helical springs of box mattresses, as a filler for cushions, and as a filler or padding for other articles of furniture, automobile seats and the like.

Objects The objects of the invention are to provide an improved batting having increased resiliency over batting of present use; to provide a batting having increased tensile strength, and especially increased tensile strength which will prevent the batting from disintegrating un-der influence of the springs on which it rests; to provide a batting which will have the characteristic of softness when in use; to provide a batting in which the raw material may be economically secured and readily worked; to secure simplicity of construction and an economical product; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Drawing Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a square of the completedv batting;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the general character of the fibrous material preparatory to compressing into the batting;

Figure 3 is a similar plan view showing a section of batting after compression and picking; and

Figure 4 is a perspective sectional View as upon line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing the batting compressed and bers therein picked for binding purposes. l0

Description In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, I preferably employ shavings of rattan or similar reeds, which are individually Very pliable and at the same time having a very considerable tensile strength. The shavings employed are preferably quite fine, and of a character that will enable most of the strands to be drawn through a sixteen mesh screen-wire or gage. It is to be understood this characterization of the flneness of the material is only for purposes of identifying the approximate thickness of the shavings employed for purposes of this application, and does not mean that 55 the shavings are passed through such gage in the (Cl. ITS-2144) process of manufacture. The shavings of rattan or similar reeds are normally larger than the approximate size above mentioned and in order to make them smaller to conform toI the requirements of this invention, the mass of shavings may be crushed, as by running a thin layer thereof between crushing rollers, by pounding or otherwlse.

The shavings of rattan or similar reeds are of varying lengths, sometimes running 'up to several feet, although usually the average length of shavings is between six inches and a foot. The shavings are normally quite straight as indicated by the more or less straight lines representing the shavings lil in Figure 2. These shavings will lie in all positions, thus constituting a mass wherein the elements are of conglomerate length and direction. The material is first put through a picking machine, the purpose of which is to distribute the several shavings in an evenly distributed mass and eliminating to some extent the shavings that otherwise would stand upright normal to the surface of the mass, and which in use might prick through to be both uncomfortable an-d `objectionable. The picking process tends to bend the shavings and cause them to intertwine very considerably with each other. This bending is increased and the intertwining obtains a denite interlocking of the shavings 'upon the next step through which the mass is subjected. This next step is to pass the same through a condenser which both removes dust by vacuum and delivers the bulk material in a partly compressed sheet held together only by the intertwining of the individual strands or shavings. The partial compression obtains additional intertwining of the shavings and enables the material to feed forwardly as a thick bulk of sheet form. Thereafter the material is fed evenly to a Garnett machine for carding the same. This machine takes the material in bulk, compresses it and delivers it in the form of a thin web with a Very secure interlocking of the several strands, after which the material may be introduced into a lapping machine with suitable press rolls and winding up mechanism enabling the material to be stored in rolls as a batt of proper width and thickness. This lapping machine includes appropriate heavy iron rolls to press the batt together and likewise includes rolls for winding up the completed batt.

It will be observed from the several steps outlined above for treatment of the material that it is progressively condensed in thickness and caused to interweave, with some strands as indicated at ll in Figures 1, 3 and 4 being actually pushed through and binding the material together, and with other strands l2 bent or curled and interlocking to add to the tensile strength of the batt when completed. I thus take advantage of the resiliency of the individual shavings to provide a batt which will give to the touch so as to feel soft and will give a cushion support to a persons weight, and which retains that inherent resiliency to return to normal condition upon release of the deforming pressure or Weight. Such resiliency is practically permanent, as the rattan or similar shavings may be subjected to sharp angular bends Without breaking, and this resiliency coupled with the high tensile strength of the shavings provides a batt which will resist any breaking through of ends of spiral springs or other hard or jagged parts of the furniture or the like to which the batt is juxtaposed. The shavings individually and in bulk are not readily subject to injury from dampness or water, and will not become soggy or matted after being wet. Furthermore, for the bulk of the batting, the same is relatively light in Weight, and in fact, lighter than any known batting of the same effective thickness. The shavings are very inexpensive as a raw material, the shavings are easily Worked with, the operations thereon as above described are few and simple, and the resultant product is superior in quality and effect and more economical than any known batting heretofore produced.

I claim:

A batting comprising a carded compressed mass of shavings of rattan having inherent resiliency effective to obtain repeated return from deflected conditions of use.

THEODORE S. JACOBSON. 

